Five Dresses
by Sivaroobini Lupin-Black
Summary: A Valentine's Day fic. Five times in Lily's life when she learns about love.


A little Valentine's Day fic (rather belated, I know) featuring Lily Evans-Potter. BTW, she's five in the first one.

Disclaimer: I own no part of the Harry Potter universe.

**Five Dresses.**

****

A bright red stain spreads on the white dress with its pink polka dots. Petunia gasps in horror, watching the stain blossom over Lily's knee; although it is Lily who is hurt, Petunia is the one crying. She grabs Lily by the shoulders. 

"Lily, I'm so sorry! I promise we'll never fight again! Oh, I'm so sorry!".

Lily smiles a bit, despite the pain in her knee. She leans forward to hug her sister tightly. "Pet, we're sisters. We'll fight all the time. But we'll always make up again, won't we?"

* * *

Seven-year-old Lily stares up at the towering bookshelf, her hand clutching her library card in the pocket of her forest-green pinafore. Standing on tiptoes, she stretches her hand up as far as it can go. Fingertips graze the corner of _Five on Finniston Farm_, scrabbling futilely for purchase. A voice behind her breaks in.

"Need help?"

Lily turns to see a taller boy of about seven smiling at her. Golden-brown curls fall into shining amber eyes that hold her own emerald-green ones as if under a spell. He walks forward and takes down the book, handing it to her. She takes it with a smile.

"Thanks. What's your name?"

He fiddles with his threadbare jumper. "Remus. Remus Lupin."

"Well, Remus, thank you." Lily smiles, stretching up to plant a quick kiss on his cheek. She quickly turns and runs towards the counter, to hide her blush. Remus is blushing too, but he simply stands there, and wishes that his family does not have to move house so often.

Four years later, when they meet again at Hogwarts, she has only a vague memory, a feeling of having seen him somewhere before. He, however, can clearly remember a short red-haired girl in a forest-green dress, smiling up at him. And he doesn't say a word when the boy next to him stiffens, staring at her, and declares that he's going to marry her one day.

* * *

Lily turns away from the Shrieking Shack; it has begun to rain heavily, and she does not look forward to sloshing through the mud in her slingback heels. Pulling her new white jacket closer around her, she begins to walk in the direction of the Three Broomsticks, anticipating some warm Butterbeer. A soft whisper is her only warning before she trips and falls forward into the mud. Raucous laughter reaches her ears.  
"Can't even recognise a Trip Jinx, can you, Mudblood?" Regulus stares down at her mockingly. "And you want to be an Auror?"

Lily's hand freezes halfway to her pocket. How could they know? Raising herself up on her elbows, she stares past the cold, proud smirks to the sallow face of a boy at the very back of the group. He stares back at her, trying to convey an apology through his eyes. She shuts her own and turns away, not making any move to raise herself up, unheedless of the mud soaking through her white jacket. The Slytherins finally walk away, commenting on cowardly Mudbloods; she finally sits up, ignoring the gaze of the boy at the back of the group.

She could have Vanished the stains on her jacket with a wave of her wand, but she chooses not to, opting instead to keep it as a cruel reminder that the desire for power can overrule even love and friendship.

* * *

James leans forward until their foreheads touch. Green and hazel meet, as he murmurs, "You look absolutely beautiful. Next time I complain that you take too long to shop for a dress, remind me of today." Lily knows it isn't just the swaying movements of the dance that make her feel as though she is floating. She pretends to pout.

"Do I really need to remind you of today?" she replies, squirming lightly as he tickles her through the creamy silk bodice. He lets out a huff of laughter.

"You might need to. In fifty years' time, when we're an old white-haired couple who are still crazy about each other, even though we can barely remember our wedding day."

She pulls away slightly, staring down at the floaty tulle skirt. "James, we're in the middle of a war. People are wondering if they'll live to see their next birthday and here you are talking about fifty years in the future!"

He presses a finger to her lips. "Don't talk like that, Lily. We'll make it through the war. I know we will."

And for a moment, Lily thinks she knows what it feels like to be a caterpillar, safe within a chrysalis of love. For one eternal moment, Lily is invincible.

* * *

Lily leans back against the headboard tiredly, wondering if the designers and models for Muggle Hospitals' gowns were colour-blind half-giants. Although she normally likes green, the sickly shade of her gown reminds her of her labour pains a few hours ago, and she feels nauseous.

She shifts slightly, gazing down at the tiny body in her arms. Running her fingers through the sparse black down on her son's head, she marvels at how soft it is, before tracing the contours of his smooth, soft cheeks with her fingertips. _How did James and I create something so perfect?_

She hugs the warm body of her sleeping child close to her chest, feeling a wave of fierce motherly love cascade over her. _My child. My son. Harry, I promise you that you won't have to grow up in the middle of a war._ She will not let the war touch her innocent child. She knows, instinctively, that she is even willing to die to protect this sleeping miracle in her arms. Smoothing the ugly green gown and hugging her child even closer, Lily drifts off to sleep.

* * *

R&R please!


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